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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29668407">Of Darkness and Light</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sacredORDINARYdays/pseuds/sacredORDINARYdays'>sacredORDINARYdays</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anakin loves his clones, Clones, Episode: s04e07 Darkness on Umbara, Fix-It, Gen, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, Jedi &amp; Their Emotions (Star Wars), Post-Episode: s04e07 Darkness on Umbara, The Jedi stress the clones out, Umbara Arc (Star Wars: Clone Wars), sometimes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 23:34:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,535</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29668407</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sacredORDINARYdays/pseuds/sacredORDINARYdays</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The feeling of wrong, wrong, WRONG settled like a pit in Anakin’s stomach. Ever since he had been summoned away from Umbara to meet with the Chancellor, he had been on edge. Suddenly, as if possessed, Anakin felt the urge to research Krell. He didn’t know why, the Jedi had seemed alright to him, if only arrogant, but even Anakin knew he suffered from that affliction himself. Yet, this was something entirely different. Anakin logged into the Archives, and--<br/>An hour later, Anakin was headed back to Umbara.<br/>OR:<br/>Anakin does a little light reading, learns something about Krell's tendency to kill off most of his troops, and speeds back to the clones like nobody's business.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>501st Legion &amp; Anakin Skywalker, 501st Legion &amp; Anakin Skywalker l Darth Vader, CT-7567 | Rex &amp; Anakin Skywalker, Clone Troopers &amp; Jedi Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>272</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Guerra_das_Estrelas</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Anakin does not like Krell. At all.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The feeling of </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong, wrong, WRONG </span>
  </em>
  <span>settled like a pit in Anakin’s stomach. Ever since he had been summoned away from Umbara to meet with the Chancellor, he had been on edge. It was like the Force was </span>
  <em>
    <span>screaming</span>
  </em>
  <span> in his ear, telling him something, but he didn’t know </span>
  <em>
    <span>what. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He had spent the entire trip to Coruscant in restlessness, and every second he was away from Umbara, the bad feeling in his chest rose a little more. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Absently, Anakin scrolled through the mission plans that Krell and the soldiers were executing, and he </span>
  <em>
    <span>was supposed to be there</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but instead he was about to head home to safety while </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> men </span>
  <em>
    <span>died.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The feeling of cold ice sliding down his spine only served to unnerve him more, but he couldn’t figure out what the problem was, and meditation eluded him, so he could find no answers there.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly, as if possessed, Anakin felt the urge to research </span>
  <em>
    <span>Krell.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He didn’t know why, the Jedi had seemed alright to him, if only arrogant, but even Anakin knew he suffered from that affliction himself. Yet, this was something entirely </span>
  <em>
    <span>different.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It was as if the most primal, basic part of his soul </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> he had to do this, and as his instincts never led him wrong so far (well, there was that incident with Obi-Wan and the pet meerkat he thought his master would have loved, but how was </span>
  <em>
    <span>he </span>
  </em>
  <span>to know Obi-Wan was allergic to its fur?!), Anakin logged into the Archives, and--</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>An hour later, Anakin was headed back to Umbara.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Panic overtook Anakin’s senses, stemming from what he knew was fear, but he couldn’t bring himself to </span>
  <em>
    <span>care.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Krell was with </span>
  <em>
    <span>his men,</span>
  </em>
  <span> and if the mission casualty reports were anything to go by, he’d be losing a lot of them if he </span>
  <em>
    <span>didn’t get back to that accursed planet right now. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>[Sorry. Taking care of a slimy weasel. Got to go back to Umbara. TTYL!]</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He sent a quick apology to the Chancellor, and entered hyperspace.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Fear, and so much </span>
  <em>
    <span>anger</span>
  </em>
  <span> was boiling in his blood right now, and try as he might, Anakin couldn’t bring himself to let it </span>
  <em>
    <span>go.</span>
  </em>
  <span> The casualties of the troops Krell was in charge of was </span>
  <em>
    <span>off the charts.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He had overlooked the first couple of missions where Krell had lost copious amounts of men, when there clearly was a better solution, but by the time he had read about the </span>
  <em>
    <span>seventh</span>
  </em>
  <span> skirmish where Pong had somehow managed to lose a </span>
  <em>
    <span>quarter of his troops,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Anakin knew he had to get back. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Now.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t understand. Many of Krell’s earlier missions had been successes, but recently, most of them ended up as ‘victories’ at the price of </span>
  <em>
    <span>so many</span>
  </em>
  <span> clones. Worse than that, though, was the fact that there were clear moments when he could have used another plan, or utilized a different course of action that would have saved so many lives, but he had </span>
  <em>
    <span>chosen </span>
  </em>
  <span>to send those men  to their deaths. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Chosen</span>
  </em>
  <span> to count them as expendable means to an end.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Anakin had a sinking feeling Krell was one of the Jedi--</span>
  <em>
    <span>people</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Krell didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>deserve</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be called a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Jedi--</span>
  </em>
  <span>who saw clones as nothing more than droids with flesh. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was also the fact that Krell had suspicious contact with a...</span>
  <em>
    <span>dubious</span>
  </em>
  <span> frequency, and Anakin had the beginnings of an idea of why Krell was so eager to take this task and prove himself. The thought sparked a seed of fury inside Anakin, who gnashed his teeth together, and stewed in his impatience to get back to Rex and the men. When he got to Krell, he would get </span>
  <em>
    <span>answers.</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Rex is confused. Touched, but still confused.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Sir, the General’s just entered the atmosphere!”</p><p> </p><p>Startling slightly at Hardcase’s raised voice, Rex scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. </p><p> </p><p>“Hardcase, the General’s <em> already here, </em>what are you talking about?”</p><p> </p><p>“No, not <em> Krell </em>, crazy, General Skywalker!”</p><p> </p><p>Rex stopped mid-stride. </p><p> </p><p>“General Skywalker? <em> Anakin Skywalker?!” </em></p><p> </p><p>“Yes, Rex, <em> Anakin Skywalker, </em> you know, our psycho, impulsive, sand-hating, insect-eating General?”</p><p> </p><p><em> Oh, </em> sometimes Rex wanted to beat some respect into his brothers, but then he remembered Kamino, and the kind of respect they had to show <em> there, </em> and always ended up rolling his eyes. </p><p> </p><p>Still, “What’s the General doing back here? Wasn’t he supposed to meet the Chancellor?” </p><p>A snort here. </p><p>“Heck if I know, but General Skywalker’s never really been all that good at following orders.”</p><p> </p><p>Understatement of Rex’s life, which, granted, wasn’t that long, but still, he doubted that he could ever find another Jedi quite as chaotic as his General. </p><p> </p><p>Though Kenobi was a close second. </p><p> </p><p>Goodness knows that the 501st and 212th had bonded <em> superbly </em> because of the sheer <em> quantity </em> of times that their Jedi had given them premature grey hairs, and if that isn’t saying something, Rex didn’t know what would. </p><p> </p><p>Making his way to the hangar, Rex watched for his General as a series of emotions that could only be described as <em> exasperation-amusement-Oh My Gosh Anakin </em>swept through him. </p><p> </p><p>Seeing General Skywalker walk down the ramp wiped any trace of amusement from his face. Skywalker’s brows were creased, his eyes stony, and his hands dangerously close to his lightsaber. Noticing Rex, his hands fell from where it had risen to his waist. </p><p> </p><p>“Rex!”</p><p> </p><p>Why did he sound so <em> relieved? </em>He’d barely been gone more than a few days. </p><p> </p><p>“General? Why are you here? Did you finish your assignment with the Chancellor already?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh forget the Chancellor for a sec,” Anakin waived his hand in the air, “I’ve got more important things to worry about.”</p><p> </p><p>Judging by the tense look in his General’s eyes, Rex didn’t doubt it. </p><p>But still, “More important than the <em> Chancellor </em> of the <em> Republic? </em>What’s more important than that?”</p><p> </p><p>Anakin looked him straight in the eyes. “You.”</p><p> </p><p>Rex tried to stop the bubble of warmth that arose at the thought of being <em> more important </em> than the Chancellor of the <em> karking </em> Republic, because <em> What.  </em></p><p> </p><p>His disbelief must have been evident, because--thankfully--his General elaborated. </p><p> </p><p>“The 501st’s in trouble. Krell,” he practically snarled the name, “is trouble. I don’t know what his exact agenda is, but his casualty rates are <em>insane.</em> <em>Seven times,</em> he’s lost almost a quarter of his men on missions that should’ve taken ten, twenty, <em>tops.</em> And,” Anakin gripped Rex’s shoulders here, <em>as if</em> he would take the word of Krell over <em>his General (nonsense, </em>Rex scoffed internally), “he’s been sending transmissions to an...unknown comm. Scarce and spread out, so no one thought anything about it, but…”</p><p> </p><p>Rex nearly choked when he got what Anakin was implying. </p><p> </p><p>“You think Krell is committing <em> treason?” </em></p><p> </p><p>“If not now, then planning to.”</p><p> </p><p>He wasn’t sure he’d seen his General so <em> angry, </em> and <em> worried </em>. Knowing how much their General cared would do a great deal for morale, Rex thought absently. It certainly was doing wonders for his, no matter how inappropriate the current moment was for such indulgences. </p><p> </p><p>Snapping his eyes back to his General’s bright blues, Rex asked, </p><p>“So, what are we going to do about it?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>At the end of the day, Rex does tell a few clones, namely Fives, Kix, and Hardcase about how Anakin thought they were more important than the Chancellor. It reaches the ears of every single member of the 501st (and a few of the 212th's) by nightfall.<br/>Productivity goes through the roof.<br/>Food is excellent that night.<br/>A few clones get "We Love Our General" tattoos.<br/>Anakin wonders why everyone is acting so giddy all of a sudden. Don't they know they were in danger?!<br/>(They do, in fact, know, but frankly, it pales in comparison to the other piece of news)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Brief Summary of What Happens</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm afraid I don't quite have the imagination to flesh out this entire concept, but here's what I think happens.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>~ Anakin barges into Krell's quarters. While said Jedi was in the shower.</p><p>~ Krell is confused, and slightly embarrassed at being caught in a towel, but Anakin doesn't seem to notice. He hardly gives Krell enough time to get dressed before hauling him off.</p><p>~ Rex is concerned for his General's sanity (not for the first time, but the novelty that his General may well and truly be insane never wears off. But don't let any clone catch anyone saying such things. The General may be insane but he's <em>their</em> insane General, and they wouldn't trade him for anything in the world).</p><p>~ Anakin questions Krell's strategies.</p><p>~ The clones think Anakin's overreacting. A bit.</p><p>~ Anakin does not think that he is overreacting at all.</p><p>~ Krell was just planning on impressing Dooku, he didn't want to be on the opposite end of Skywalker's lightsaber!</p><p>~ Obi-Wan just does that fondly exasperated <em>Anakin</em> thing he always does, but leaves it alone, because it's true, Krell's death tally is <em>atrocious </em>(and if anyone questions him about it later, his former padawan <em>is</em> rather secretive, what makes them think anyone told him? He is the very <em>picture</em> of innocence. Cody shakes his head, resigned to the fact that he'd probably spend the rest of his life cleaning up Kenobi and Skywalker's messes). </p><p>~ Krell, after a while, does admit that yes, he was planning on joining Dooku, and no, <em>why on earth would he care for clones</em> (Anakin would call it...aggressive negotiations).</p><p>~ Ten troopers have to work together to stop their General from killing Krell on the spot. </p><p>~ Oz and Ringo still die, but luckily, Hardcase doesn't. Umbara is a success, with far less casualties than there would have been in Krell was in charge. </p><p>~ Krell is put before the Jedi Council, and the entire group of clones that was brought to the hearing so that their opinions could be heard had to combine their strength in order to stop <em>Plo Koon</em> from killing Krell then and there (<em>not</em> <em>killing! </em>Plo Koon would later say. <em>Just...severe injuries?) </em></p><p>~ The Council are not feeling rather disapproving of Plo Koon, at the moment. </p><p>~ The clones are a little taken aback at how <em>many</em> Jedi care, and how <em>much</em> they care (<em>Silly clones! </em>A young jedi initiate rebukes, <em>Fam'ly!) . </em>The clones don't argue much after that. </p><p>~ Somehow, this change has far-reaching effects. Anakin's closer relationship with the clones allow them to bash into his head that Obi-Wan <em>does</em> love him (it's clear to <em>everyone</em> whenever his former master abandons his Jedi calm and starts pacing the floor when Anakin is in a particularly hard surgery), and so when the nightmares get to be too much, it's not <em>Palpatine</em> he finds comfort with, but <em>Obi-Wan.</em> </p><p>~ Their close relationship hits a stumble during the Rako-Hardeen incident, but Ahsoka locks them in a room together, where Anakin promptly breaks down crying, and Obi-Wan hugs him and comforts him like he hasn't since Anakin's first encounter with a thunderstorm. </p><p>~ Obi-Wan knows he made a mistake then, about not telling Anakin, and he can only hope that his regret is enough (it is). They are closer after that, and Anakin demands that Obi-Wan keep the Force bond open 24/7 because <em>he's not losing another parent </em>(Obi-Wan never thought about being a father, but he finds that he doesn't mind it so much, even if his son is a hellion). </p><p>~ Palpatine still thinks that Skywalker is deep enough in his clutches, though, and tells him how he can <em>save </em>Padmé, but <em>only</em> if he joins the Sith.</p><p>~ Anakin is shaken, because the <em>Chancellor was his friend</em>, but he's also the <em>Sith Lord</em>, which means--which means that he probably sent Obi-Wan away from Coruscant on <em>purpose </em>(that's another thing repairing his relationship with Obi-Wan did: help him to think from <em>all</em> angles). That's enough to convince him to tell the Council, namely, Mace Windu.</p><p>~ Anakin still doesn't like him much, but at least he's better than a <em>fake friend</em> (if there's one thing Anakin hates, it's disloyalty).</p><p>~ Windu orders Anakin to stay away (though nicer this time, because Skywalker may be a menace, but he's the <em>Order's </em>menace), which, of course, Anakin ignores. </p><p>~ He bursts into the room, and Palpatine pleads with Anakin. <em>Save Padmé, </em>he says. It's almost enough to convince Anakin. Almost. Because he knows that if he fell, Padmé would never forgive him.</p><p>~ He walks up to Palpatine, and for one moment, Windu thinks that Skywalker's going to be the end of the Order. </p><p>~ Then, Anakin...pulls out his lightsaber, and cuts Palpatine's hands off. </p><p>~ He holds no love for the man, but Anakin will not kill one who he used to hold dear to him. It is not the Jedi Way. </p><p>~ Palpatine, weakened, is no match for the Chosen One, and so he stands trial. </p><p>~ He is executed, and that's when Order 66 is discovered. </p><p>~ Anakin kinda wishes that Palpatine wasn't already dead so he could kill him himself. </p><p>~ When the clones find out, they feel sick. Kill their <em>Jedi? </em>Wolffe doesn't sleep until it gets the chip out, and even then, the nightmares haunt him. Plo Koon assures him that <em>it's alright</em>, and Wolffe falls asleep with his Jedi and the Wolfpack surrounding him. </p><p>~ Most of the clones, especially those with padawans, isolate themselves on <em>Tatooine </em>(because a good number of the 501st are there, and they don't think Anakin will ever look there), because they're so terrified of what they might do to the only other group of people who have called them <em>family.</em></p><p>~ Anakin doesn't think to look for them there. Obi-Wan, on the other hand, does. Surprisingly, Mace Windu also insisted on looking for them, saying that when he found his Commander, he was going to <em>knock some karking sense into him. </em></p><p>~ Anakin thinks that Ponds is never going to escape Windu's watch now. At least he managed to put Rex on house arrest with Padmé watching over him. </p><p>~ They do find the clones, and it is with far too much cheer that the Jedi lock them up in the Temple, stating that <em>they were not going to leave until they could be trusted not to run away again. Wait, what chips? Lock you up for what chips? OH the chips! Psh, who cares about that? You ran away!</em></p><p>~ Fox has a lot of paperwork to do, and he keeps getting distracted because <em>Quinlan Vos</em> won't leave him <em>alone.</em> </p><p>~ Fox thinks that at least, it could be worse than Quinlan. He's not terrible company, when he's not trying suicidal stunts and the like. </p><p>~ Fox tries not to smile too much when he finds out that the Coruscant Guard now have a Jedi of their own, and its none other than Quinlan himself (Vos has <em>connections, </em>okay?). He fails spectacularly. </p><p>~ Luke and Leia Skywalker come into the world, and Anakin is the happiest man alive.</p><p>~ The Council mean to possibly kick him out, but his children are <em>so cute</em>, they manage to change the Council's opinion via being alive. They let him stay, but punish him with creche duty for the next decade (and if there's talk about changing the Old Code, well, who is the Council to ignore the people?). </p><p>~ Secretly, Anakin teaches Luke and Leia to call Obi-Wan <em>uncle </em>(he thinks Obi-Wan might not take too kindly to being called <em>Grandpa</em>, however tempting it may be). </p><p>~ The twins finally call him Uncle Obi-Wan on their second birthday, and Obi-Wan is most definitely <em>not crying. </em>Okay, maybe a <em>few </em>tears, but that's all! (Anakin will snicker very openly whenever Obi-Wan tries to say this). </p><p>~ Anakin convinces Obi-Wan to train Luke, because who better to deal with another rambunctious Skywalker than one who has already raised one? </p><p>~ Obi-Wan thinks that the few strands of red on his head will be completely white before the end of Luke's first year as his padawan. He wouldn't trade it for rare Stewjoni tea (The Skywalkers, he thinks wryly, have the strange ability to stick to someone like a leech, and then make the person fall in love with said leech). </p><p>~ The galaxy is happy, and all because Anakin decided to do a little research. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>BONUS SCENE:<br/>~ Anakin also secretly teaches Luke and Leia that the ENTIRE 501st are their siblings, because hello, the clones are his babies, too, and the 212th are their cousins, because Obi-Wan. </p><p>~ So whenever they have to introduce themselves in front of their class, they always go "Hi! We're Luke and Leia Skywalker, and we have about 800 brothers, and 1000-something cousins! Oh, and one uncle!"</p><p>~ The teachers are slightly horrified when they contact Luke and Leia's parents, who confirm that, yes, this is absolutely true.</p><p>~ The clones don't find out until family night in school when Rex and Cody come along to see that the entirety of the 501st has a picture placed under the twins' 'siblings' section of their "About Me" poster, and the 212th is placed under the 'extended family' portion. </p><p>~ Luke and Leia's protection detail increases to about 5 troopers per twin after that.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Anakin: *squishing Kix in his arms* They're my babies<br/>Clones: You see what we deal with? This one stops in the middle of a battle because he fears he's forgotten one of our birthdays!<br/>Anakin: It's a genuine concern!<br/>Clones: *agonized screech*</p></blockquote></div></div>
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